Humans of Beach Handball: Marcin Miedzinski

Reflecting on the first 35 years of his life, Marcin Miedzinski realises it has been nearly all about handball.

“I started playing handball in primary school. We have big traditions of that sport in our city,” Miedzinski says about his hometown, Plock.

As a kid, he was already “bigger and stronger” than his classmates, so the decision to pick up handball was made “very quickly,” remembers Miedzinski — now over two metres tall with a weight of around 100 kilograms.

His career saw him play for a string of clubs in the Polish Superliga and the first division, including teams from Malbork, Mielec, Elblag and, most recently, Grudziadz. And, of course, Wisla Plock, where he was part of the squad which played in the EHF Champions League in the 2015/16 season.

His best memories from that time? “I think my first game when my little daughter was on the tribune. It was special for me,” says Miedzinski, whose career as a player concluded at the end of last season.

“Now I don’t play indoor handball anymore, 14 seasons is enough for me,” he says. “I only coach little kids in my own academy right now. And I am waiting for the beach.”

Make no mistake, Miedzinski isn’t talking holidays when he says: “The beach.” The beach, of course, is beach handball, the sport he helped set up and make big in Poland.

It all started back in 2012.

“That time we founded a team called Petrochemia, me and two friends of mine whom I played indoor with,” Miedzinski says. The three men were on a mission. It was not just about the fun of playing on the sandy courts, but also about improving the image of handball’s outdoor variant.

“I don’t think that beach handball was well-known as a sport in Poland. ‘A lot of fun, a lot of sun,’ that was this game in our country,” Miedzinski says. “We wanted to change that. We wanted to go into a more professional direction and that is why we gave all the effort and put in all our hearts to show people how beach handball could look like.”

The name of the club changed to BHT Petra and their serious approach to the sport quickly started to bear fruit. The club won its first championship in 2014 and has always aimed to promote the sport in Poland.

BHT Petra have made a name for themselves as organisers of a large annual tournament right in the heart of Plock’s city centre, which brings together just as many die-hard beach handball fans as random passers-by, all enjoying the unique atmosphere beach handball creates.

“We win it year by year,” Miedzinski notes.

Of course, winning is nothing unusual for BHT Plock. The club spread its wings quickly at international level and celebrated a first major success when they finished as runners-up at the ebt Finals 2017, losing to Detono Zagreb in the final in two very close sets.

The biggest triumph, though, followed five years later at the EHF Beach Handball Champions Cup in Portugal, where they beat Hungarian side Salgótarján 2:0 in the final.

“Our dreams came true in 2022 in Porto Santo, when we had the 10th anniversary of our team and won it at least,” Miedzinski recalls.

“It was something big in Plock. A group of friends starting with nothing suddenly were the best in Europe at that time. A great memory, especially when you remember the beginning of it all.”

BHT Petra almost repeated the achievement the following year, but this time they bowed out in the semi-final against eventual champions Rødby Beach Boys from Denmark.

What has made the team so strong over the years?

“The answer is simple,” Miedzinski says. “We are a group of close friends, I am really close with some players, we have known each other for 20 years. We have won a lot of games together and, more importantly, we have lost some finals together. And that is why no one can break our collective.”

The strength of the team, though, is not only about what happens on the court.

“Our supporters and fans are very important. They are more like family and travel with us all over Europe. Really, there is no BHT Petra without them,” he says.

From the beginning of his beach handball career, Miedzinski has been a proud member of the Polish national team. He played his first EHF Beach Handball EURO in 2013 in Denmark, where Poland finish ninth after missing out on a place in the quarter-finals by a single set.

Poland were ninth again two years later in Spain, then 10th in 2017 in Croatia, before recording a best result of seventh while hosting the 2019 edition in Stare Jablonki. They were seventh again and 12th, respectively, in the last two European championships, in 2021 in Bulgaria and 2023 in Portugal.

And that is where Miedzinski’s national team career came to an end.

“Honestly, it broke my heart a little bit. I gave all my heart in every single game. And in spite of it all, we didn’t win any medal with the national team,” he says.

“I saw a lot of young players that wanted to play in my position in the national team. Now their time has come in the Polish jersey. I wrote my history all over Europe where we played, but it wasn’t enough.”

His farewell game — Poland vs Croatia in a full stadium in Plock in July 2023 — has left an everlasting memory.

“In this place, I want to say thanks for that official farewell. I didn’t get the opportunity to appreciate this gesture, so thanks to Artur (Niesluchowski) and the guys from the Poland and Croatia national teams,” Miedzinski says.

“That was special. There were some tears. Both my kids were present there, so I remember that for long time.”

In a few months’ time, Poland start another attempt to enter the medal positions of an EHF Beach Handball EURO for the first time. But without Miedzinski.

“I am looking forward to the European championships in Türkiye — but only as a supporter,” he declares. “I hope Poland will fight for the medals, at least.”

The challenge, though, is demanding, since Poland have been drawn into a tough preliminary round group that also includes record European and reigning world champions Croatia as well as 2023 bronze medallists Denmark, who have won the title twice in the last three editions.

“The group is tough,” Miedzinksi acknowledges, before sharing the same optimism that has characterised him throughout his career. “But I truly believe this time it will happen.”

Main photo & feature photo © Uros Hocevar / kolektiff